Cities offer to recycle used holiday evergreens
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 29 2009 05:36 AM
By Mason W. Canales
Killeen Daily HeraldKilleen and Harker Heights are both offering Christmas tree recycling programs this week.
"It is a beneficial reuse that would otherwise just end up in the landfill," said Harker Heights Utility Superintendent Joe Hines.
Both Killeen and Harker Heights will offer residents mulch for their Christmas trees during their tree recycling programs, and for those who don't want the mulch, the city will be reusing the chippings for its own vegetation. Keep Killeen Beautiful Commission is also offering saplings to the first 100 people who come to its recycling day, said Killeen's Volunteer Services Director Wilfred Brewster.
Killeen's program started about 1994, Brewster said. Last year it collected more than 400 trees for chipping.
This program keeps trees from being wasted and allows them to be reused for composting or landscaping, Brewster said.
Killeen is offering its Christmas tree recycling program at the Special Events Center, 3301 S. W.S. Young Drive, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
It is open to everyone, Brewster said.
"We don't discourage anybody," he said. "Our goal is to recycle and beautify. They can come from Harker Heights, and they can come from anywhere."
Harker Heights' Christmas tree recycling program is only being offered to residents through its Transfer Station, 1761 E. Farm-to-Market 2410, Hines said. It will be available for multiple days.
Residents can go to the Transfer Station during its normal hours of operation from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Hines said. Residents must bring identification and proof of residency to get in the Transfer Station.
Residents will not get their own mulched tree, but they are welcome to collect mulch that is already at the Transfer Station.
"There is a pile of mulch there," Hines said. "If they want some, they can come get some."
Hines said he believes more than 100 residents participated in the Christmas tree recycling program in Harker Heights last year, and he wants to see a lot more this year.
"We want to remind our residents that trees will not be picked up in front of their house, so they need to take advantage of our Transfer Station," Hines said. "(Residents can) continue to bring (Christmas trees) until we get rid of all of them in the city."
Contact Mason W. Canales at
mcanales@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7554.